Inspiration
by Kaiousei
Summary: Suikoden IV TedAldo ficlet, complete. Tir wasn't the only one to inspire Ted... I hate writing summaries.


Inspiration

I hated Suikoden IV with a horrible burning passion, but... I love Ted.

I was horribly amused by this pairing when I first noticed it... I started writing this a while ago and finished it for the sake of posting it on my writing blog. That, and the fact I just finished colouring a picture Ruaki drew (I blame this shipping on her). I adore Ted-Aldo. Fangirls the world over must ship iiiiiiiitttttt!

* * *

Before he left, Ted had begun to consider staying on the ship. He could relate to the sea, it was so much like him: plain and boundless, those who try to conquer it get nowhere. But to Aldo, he was beautiful... 

Eternity was torture. It felt worse when people like Aldo came around - but that was only a recent discovery. He had never known anyone quite like him. Then again, meeting people hadn't been quite high on his list of priorities. Time went by slower, which was hardly a thing Ted needed.

He was forced to isolate himself due to the rune that lay boundless on his right hand, containing an unknown realm within it's seal. Inside, it lay the souls of those who died close to him. His Grandfather was amoung the souls that had been taken by him and his ancestors since the beginning of time. If nothing, the protection of others was a good enough reason to isolate himself.

"There's no good reason to keep yourself from having friends and feeling love!" Aldo cried, shaking him by the shoulders many years later as they stood in the rain. What had it been that Ted said to inspire this outburst? He couldn't remember. "People die, Ted! Things change. The least you can do is carry those companions with you! You may feel it's a curse, but... look at me!"

Ted instead chose to stare blankly at the ground as he had been doing since before Aldo started to yell. He'd forgotten his gloves and jacket, and the Soul Eater throbbed hungrily in his view. He hated having to look at it. Beneath it, water rose, flying violently back from the torrential rain of the sky.

Aldo finally gave up the hope of recieving a response, and instead he pulled Ted in, wrapping his arms around the smaller man's shoulders. Aldo shuddered silently, pulling Ted against him so hard that he had trouble breathing, and could almost make himself believe the archer was attempting to form one person. Ted stood still, wondering why he had mentioned the rune to Aldo at all. What had inspired him to do such a thing?

Was it really lonliness?  
"If I could stay with you forever..." Aldo murmured close to Ted's ear.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Ted growled, pushing back against Aldo at thought of the proposition who refused to let go, or even loosen his grip. "You don't understand."

"But I do," Aldo murmured, his voice barely audible over the roaring sleet pounding down around them. It made them feel alone. "I understand how it feels to be alone, Ted. But you aren't alone. Your loved ones are a part of you, moreso than anyone else can claim. They're with you always giving you strength to keep going. Do you think they would have wanted you to isolate yourself like this?"

150 years ago he had been entrusted with the rune as a child to keep it away from those who hunted it. He missed his friends. He missed his family. But the truth was that they had lived together in order to keep the rune safe and away from everyone else. They had all been together so they wouldn't be alone.

Aldo heard Ted's acceptance through the sigh that was released into his shoulder. He was standing less now and leaning more. It was cold outside and the rain was seeping through to his skin, chilling both of them. But the connection was so warm... They could almost tune out the rest of the world, with or without the rain pounding on top of them. Aldo ran his hand back through Ted's wet hair, cradling the smaller man's head in his arms. "I want to be with you," he murmured.

It was how many years now since Ted had joined the Silver Sea and met Aldo? It was how many years now that Ted had been avoiding him? Now, cradled in his arms, Ted couldn't remember what he had been afraid of. It was warm... But...

"We should head back," Ted said, his voice failing at first before he found it. "You're going to get sick."

For a moment, Aldo loosened his grip, and Ted thought for a brief instant that he might have actually been able to go in peace, but with an arm around his head, Aldo pulled him in again, bringing their lips together.

It was soft and sweet and sent chills up and down along Ted's spine, but he gave up and chose to kiss back, closing his eyes and following Aldo's lead. Dizzy, Ted realized things would never be the same.

* * *

"Hey! There's a kid over here!"

Ted let his eyes flutter open, almost remembering where he was as he stared up at the dark gray sky. It was a pitiful kind of rain, but it was rain nonetheless. It had probably inspired him to remember those things.

"My boy, what are you doing in a place like this?" A warm voice asked him.

Ted had to crack his neck and lean forward painfully to regard the man, he had slept in an awkward place, in an awkward position. The man was big, with broad shoulders and difinitive muscles. He had a warm smile and an angular face. Ted thought he may have seen him somewhere, perhaps on a picture somewhere within the region. Within his thoughts, Ted forgot that the man had asked him a question. "I... don't remember..." Close enough.

"Well! You've certainly chosen a strange place to take a nap," he laughed, a warm, friendly kind of laugh. Ted could hear in it that this man had everything going for him. "Where are your parents?"

"They're dead," Ted replied, not missing a beat. It was true - they were.

"Hmm..." The man scrutinized him for a moment. Ted began to wonder if he should have said anything. The last thing he wanted was to be committed to an orphanage - not like it would take much for him to get away. "Well, you should come and stay with me, then!" The man welcomed cheerfully. "My son is almost your age and could use a friend, and my servant makes the best stew on the planet. We can get you fixed up in no time. You're welcome to stay with us, if you like, but at least spend some time there until you're feeling better - you look terrible."

150 years ago, Ted would have run away. But it was Aldo who taught him he needed people in life. Instead, he smiled and took the man's outstretched hand. "I would like that. Thank you."


End file.
